New fire regulations place more responsibility on employers
New fire regulations shift responsibility to employers to conduct their own fire risk assessments instead of relying on government-issued Fire Certificates. Businesses must now hire external consultants to identify and mitigate fire hazards, with penalties for non-compliance coming into force in 2005.
Health and safety FAQs
The Health and Safety Executive provides updated FAQs covering essential workplace topics like working alone and risk assessments, with detailed answers and free downloadable resources for businesses.
HR Tip – Misconduct or incapability?
Determine whether poor employee performance is misconduct or incapability by examining evidence and discussing with the employee. “Can’t do” issues require training and support, while “won’t do” cases warrant disciplinary action.
How Did I Get Here? Laurence Collins, Ceridian HR Consulting
Laurence Collins, HR Consulting Director at Ceridian, shares his career journey from professional services marketing to leading HR consulting. Originally trained as a marketer, he discovered that strategic frameworks from marketing could transform HR consulting, subsequently building expertise through global HR, benefits, and change management roles.
Tesco trials sick pay ban to reduce ‘sickies’
Tesco is trialing a scheme that removes sick pay for the first three days of illness to reduce unnecessary absences. The pilot, supported by the shopworkers union Usdaw, is among several trials designed to encourage planned time off instead of last-minute sick leave.
Citizens Advice launches campaign to stamp out bullying
Citizens Advice has launched a campaign to raise awareness of workplace protections against discrimination and harassment based on sexuality, covering issues from denied promotions to verbal abuse and unfair dismissal.
Union pushes for tougher health and safety laws
The GMB union is calling for stronger health and safety enforcement powers, including the right to privately prosecute employers who endanger workers. Union leaders argue current guidance lacks teeth and the HSE isn’t adequately enforcing workplace protections.
Pensions are a ‘top concern’ for workers
Pensions have become a top concern for workers, prompting employers to maintain strong pension provisions to attract and retain talent. The government has introduced new measures to prevent companies from avoiding pension obligations through restructuring and dumping liabilities onto the Pension Protection Fund.
Opinion: Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary – on the pensions crisis
Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, warns that workers will no longer accept pension cuts as employers retreat from pension provision. He criticizes the closure of final salary schemes and inadequate contributions to money purchase plans, arguing that poor pension offerings damage employer reputations and recruitment.
HR priorities for the next 12 months
HR priorities for the next 12 months are dominated by training, retention, and recruitment, according to an IRS survey of 519 HR departments. Organisational restructuring has emerged as the most challenging task, while priorities vary significantly between sectors based on funding, business needs, and regulatory requirements.
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Sweating the small stuff: tackling stress at source
Organizations tackling workplace stress should identify and address the root causes through employee dialogue rather than relying solely on counseling services. Research shows small daily frustrations—like parking issues or equipment failures—often drive stress more than major problems, and simple fixes can significantly boost employee wellbeing and productivity.
Training Trends 2004: Predictions of Increased Demand
Training professionals predict increased demand in 2004 for coaching, mentoring, and e-learning, with 77% and 73% of respondents expecting growth respectively. The shift toward individualized learning approaches reflects a broader focus on tailoring development to employee needs while reducing time away from work.
HR Tip – Informal warnings
Informal warnings don’t require legal accompaniment, but allowing an employee to bring a work colleague is advisable and demonstrates transparency. Crucially, don’t confirm the warning in writing, as doing so converts it into a formal warning.
The New HR Charter – a series that raises the bar for HR professionals
Paul Kearns launches a new HR Charter series challenging the profession to demonstrate measurable value to organizations. Addressing frustrations with HR’s undervalued status, this provisional charter sets standards for human capital management and invites industry debate on elevating HR practices.
‘Corporate killing’ company car chaos
New corporate manslaughter laws could expose company directors to serious charges if employees die in accidents involving cash allowance cars that lack proper maintenance or insurance. Employment law experts warn these allowance schemes often lack controls to ensure vehicles are fit for business use and adequately insured.
How Did I Get Here? Paul Kearns, PWL
Paul Kearns, director of PWL consultancy since 1991, specializes in measuring HR’s business impact through strategy, evaluation, and performance management. After starting in industrial relations in 1978, he became convinced that traditional HR practices were ineffective and founded his firm to help organizations understand the ROI and financial value of their HR investments.
Training Trends 2004: Attitudes to training
The Training Trends 2004 survey reveals that while 72% of organisations view training positively, nearly half fail to align good intentions with actual practice. Only 23% consider training integral to company strategy, though demand for business case justification and ROI measurement is expected to increase.
Eight in ten failing to manage work-related stress
Most UK employers are failing to implement HSE stress management standards, with nearly eight in ten health and safety professionals taking no action to address workplace stressors like heavy workloads, lack of control, and poor support that cause work-related stress.
PMI – health or wealth damage?
Private medical insurance (PMI) costs are rising dramatically, with projections ranging from 5-20% annually, prompting employers to reconsider this expensive benefit. While PMI offers perceived perks, it may not effectively support return-to-work outcomes compared to alternatives like cash plans or occupational health services.
